Air conditioning apparatus



A. H. EBERHART 2,885,142

AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS May 5, 1959 Filed July 9, 1956 INVEN TOR ARTHUR H. EBERHART ATTORNEY United States Patent C AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Arthur H. Eberhart, East Lougmeadow, Mass., assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 9, 1956, Serial No. 596,620

2 Claims. (Cl. 230-117) This invention relates to air conditioning apparatus and more particularly to air propulsion equipment for a room air conditioner.

The window mounted air conditioning unit in use today has a refrigerating system mounted in a unitary casing through which both room air and outside air are circulated. The room air, that is, the air within the enclosure that is to be cooled is circulated through one section of the air conditioner casing wherein it passes over the evaporator or cooling unit of the refrigerating system.

' The outside air is circulated through another section of the air conditioner casing and over the condensing portion of the refrigerating system to dissipate heat removed from the room air. Normally, the two sections of the air conditioner casing, through which room air and outside air, respectively, are circulated, are segregated by some type of partition structure. Circulation of air through these sections is effected by means of an air propelling device positioned in each section and driven by a motor which is positioned in one of the sections.

It is well known that, for most efiicient operation, air propelling devices generally have some type of air directing structure associated therewith; in the case of an axial flow fan this structure can be a stationary shroud ring encompassing the periphery of the fan, in the case of a radial flow blower this structure takes the form of a scroll-shaped housing surrounding the blower. Obviously these air propelling devices must be properly aligned or positioned with respect to their associated air directing stnlctures in order to assure their proper operation.

This invention contemplates a novel adjustable mounting arrangement for the motor which drives two air propelling devices and insures the proper alignment of both air propelling devices with respect to their air directing structures. Briefly, the arrangement envisions resiliently mounting one end of the motor in an opening in the air directing structure of one of the air propelling devices, and adjustably supporting the other end of the motor in such a manner as to permit movement of this other end of the motor in a plane which is generally normal to the axis of the motor shaft. The position of the second air propelling device can be altered by adjustably positioning this other end of the motor and, because the first end of the motor swivels in a resilient mounting about a point which is close to the first air propelling device, there is no appreciable change in the position of the first air propelling device which would affect its operation.

This invention also contemplates employing the resilient connection at the one end of the motor as a sealing closure for the opening in the partition structure through which the motor shaft extends.

It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide an improved air propelling arrangement for air conditioning units.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved mounting structure for the air propelling device of an air conditioning unit in which a single motor is emice ployed to drive the air propelling devices for both the room air section and the outside air section of the unit.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved adjustable supporting structure for an electric motor having driving connections at both its ends and Wl'llCh permits alignment of the devices driven by the motor.

These and other objects are effected by the invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawmg, forming a part of this application, in which:

Ifig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the interior of a typical window mounted air conditioning unit embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the adjustable mount for the air propulsion drive motor of this invention and the view is taken generally as indicated by the line III1 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the adjustable motor mount taken generally as indicated by the line III-III of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings for a detailed description of the invention, the air conditioning unit shown in Fig. 1 includes an outer casing 11 housing the unit components and the interior of which is divided by a partition structure 12 into a room air section 13 and an outside air section 14. The room air section 13 contains a refrigerant evaporator or cooling unit 16 and a radial flow blower 17 which propels air from the room being cooled through section 13 and over the cooling unit 16. The outside air section 14 contains the condenser 18 for the refrigerating system of the unit and an axial flow fan 19 for propelling air through this section and over the condenser 18.

The outside air section 14 also houses a motor compressor unit 21 which circulates refrigerant through the condenser 18 and the evaporator 16 to extract heat from the air passing through the room air section 13 and to emit this heat to the outside air passing through section 14. The refrigerating system is a conventional compressor-condenser-expander circuit which is well known and understood in the art and some of the elements thereof have been omitted from the drawing for the sake of clarity.

Air is directed to and through the blower 17 in room air section 13 by air directing means associated with the blower 17 and comprising a blower housing 22 which is attached to the partition structure 12 in such a manner that the partition forms one wall of the housing. Likewise, in the outside air section 14 air directing structure is associated with the fan 19 to assist the fan in directing air over the condenser and consists of a shroud 23 having an opening 24 into which a portion of the fan 19 extends. To insure eflicient operation of the air propelling devices 17 and 19, each of these devices must be properly positioned with relation to its respective air directing structure. Specifically, the blower 17 must be positioned within its housing 22 in proper relationship thereto and misalignment of the two which would reduce the efficiency of the blower, should be avoided. Similarly, the fan 19 should be centered with respect to the opening 24 in its shroud 23 to insure that the fan will deliver the greatest amount of air for the power con sumed and to further insure that there will be no interference between the fan 19 and the shroud 23.

The mounting ararngement for the air propelling devices 17 and 19 is, in accordance with this invention,-

intimately associated with the driving means for these housing 26 are shaft extensions 27 and 28 which are 8.88am 4 v "WWI o. end support, respectively, the blower 117 and he tan t2- The motor housin 26 is positioned within the outside air section 14 and its shaft extension 27 extends through an opening 29 in the partition structure mo or l su ins 2s ca ied in a u-ahw iuti a bra ket nd cat d ae e a iy by the numeral 31. Th is; Q! hisht Por on. racket 31 is remo ab v ssured Wi hin the resins by means at s ud hole 30- ltsfsuiu o ist 3. i ill it not d t at he i h hand W nd e! 9s o th suppo b acke 1. is wel ed. a indicated at 33, or otherwise secured to the partition structure 12 and :is provided near its upper end with an opening d4 arranged coaxially with respect to the 2.9 the intu structure 12. Disp i in the openings 2. 3 51 in scaling relation therewith n a. Matias t ns. .6. o rubber or other resil ent *Ki ls. t ns $6. surrounds and c p a p ve nal end extension 37 of the motor housing 26 and positions he W s mansion, 3.7 accurately within partitron 2.9. The, ring 36 is also provided with cir-. sm re i t m po ions as which extend radially. ortwardly from openings 29 and 34 to seal the opening n he pa tion s ucture ,2.

It he not d that the partition structure 12. forms one wall of the blower housing. 22, and, because opening 29 therein can, be accurately positioned during manufacture of the housing, the blower 17 is accurately Within the housing 22 by virtue of the motor extension 37 being positioned within the open- 17: by the ring 36. Since the blower 17 is also coupled on the shaft extension 27 close to the mounting ring; fililht changes in. the attitude of of shaft 21: will have little client on the position of the blower 1,7 with respect to. its housing 22. The resilient ring 36,1conflnes movement of the axis of shaft extensions 21 28. to tiltingmotionabouta point in tho-center of the. 3.6; This pivotpoint is; indicated at C in Fig. 3 of the drawing. 6

The left hand upstanding leg off support bracket- 31, identified as 41, is shorter than t'he other leg 32 and has. seemed: thereto an upwardly extending adjustment plate 42 which is. provided at its upper end with an opening- 431 adapted to bealignedxsubstantially coaxially with the right hand bracket leg opening. The adjustment plate opening 43. receives: a resilient mounting ring 44 which encompasses and grips another polygonal motor housing extension 45.

The peripheryof opening in plate 42 iepreferably provided with. inwardlyextending projections 46* which project intoand preventturningtof' the mounting ring 44. Similar projections may-be provided in the opening 24 other support bracket leg- 32. These projections together with the polygonal connection between the resilient mounting rings. 36za'nd 44 and the motor housing tensions 37 and, restrain rotationtof'the motorhous. ing 26 against: motor torque forces.

The support plate 42 is adjustably secured to leg 41 of. the support bracket 31. by means of .bolts-47 which pass; through elongated openings 48and' 49 in, respectively, the plate 42 and bracket leg 41. The major axes of the elongated openings 48 and 49 are radially displaced from. one another by 90 degreesv in such a manner as. to permit relative movement of the plate 42 both verticallyand horizontally with respectto the bracket leg 41 This adjustment of the supportplate 42 permits themotor housing extension 45 toundergo; multi-directional movement generally in a plane normal'tothe axisoffthei; shaft extension 28:

The adjustment permits the. attitude of -the axis of shaft extension 28 to be altered, The movement of the. axis of-shaft extension 28 permittedby this adjustment is illustrated in an exaggerated manner in Fig. 3,b,y the several dot and dash. center lines A which depict several; attitudes which the axis of shaft extension 28 may assume. a

It will be noted that this displacement of the axis of the shaft 28 is about the pivot point C as determined by the resilient ring 36 carrying the right hand end of the motor housing 26. Any slight angular misalignment between the support plate 42 and the motor housing extension 45 promoted by this adjustment movement of the plate 42 is readily absorbed by the resilient ring 44 connecting these two elements.

Referring again to Fig. 1, it can be appreciated that the change in attitude of the axis of shaft extension 28 may be employed to position the fan 19 in its shroud 23. The fan 19 can be adjusted both vertically and horizontally by loosening bolts 4-7 on support bracket 31 and sliding plate 42 up or down, as permitted by the elongated vertical slots 48, or sideways, as permitted by the elongated horizontal slots 49, until the fan 19 is properly positioned in opening 24. The bolts 47 are then tightened to fix the position of the fan. This adjustment has no appreciable effect on the position of the blower 17 with respect to its: housing 22 because the distance between the blower 17 and the pivot point C is quite. small as compared with the. distance between the fan 19 and the pivot point C. Consequently, relatively large position changes may he made. in the fan 19 without adversely afiecting the position of blower 17..

From the. foregoing it will be apparent that this invention. provides a convenient adjustable mounting means for theair propelling devices of an air conditioning unit. The. position. of onetof the air propelling devices, in this instance the blower 11, is readily fixed with reference to its housing by. virtueof the fixed but resilient mounting of one end ofthe motor housing 26 in an opening in the partition 12 whichtorms onewall of the blower housing. A convenient adjustment is provided for the. other air propelling device, in this instance the fan 19, with respect to its. shroud 23 and, hence, any misalignment between the fan 19 and its shroud 22: resulting from normal manufacturing variations can be readily corrected.

While thetinvention hasbeen shown in but one form, it' will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it' is not so, limited but is susceptible ofvariousother changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

What I" claim is? 1'. In air propulsion: apparatus for circulating air through a pair ofchambers; said chambers being separated by' a partition structure having an opening therein, the combination of a motor positioned in one of said chambers and having a shaft extension at one end thereofjextending through the opening in said partition structure, means resiliently mounting said one end of. the motor in. scaling relationship. with the opening in said partition structure, an air propelling device. mounted on said motor shaftextension in the other of said chambers, a shaft extending fromthe other end of said motor,

a fan mounted on. said, last-named. shaft, a stationary shroud for said fate. and. mounting means. for the said other: end; of v the .motor' and. providing for adjustment of the said. other end, of the motor generally in a plane normal to the axisof the motor shaft, whereby the position of said fan may be adjusted relative to its shroud.

2. In air propelling; apparatus the combination of a r motor having a shaft extendingfrom each end thereof, a

radial flow blower secured-to one of said shafts; a housing for said blower, a fan secured to the other of said. shafts; a' stationary shroud for said fan; the distancebetweensaid blower-"and the' one end of-said motor adjacent said blower being lessthan the distance between saidfan" and the'saidone endf-of, the motor, and. means for-adjustably mounting said motor to, permit adjustment of the fanwith respect to its, shroud, said. mounting means comprising a. stationary resilient support for the end of said motor adjacent said blower andla support for the other end of said motor which permits move- 2,390,509 Carter Dec. 11, 194 ment of said other end of the motor in a plane gen- 2,445,182 Odey July 13, 1948 erally normal to the axis of the motor shafts. FOREIGN PATENTS References Cited in the file of this patent 5 568,405 Great Britain Apr. 3, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,241,753 Whitlark May 13, 1941 

